WestcoastPete wrote:Righto, just ordered one of these Ron. Might get a chance to try it out on some bream in the estuaries around Walpole - Denmark - Albany In a few weeks (if it gets here in time)...

Mine took a little over a week, so you should be right. A legal sized bream would be good sport on the little pen rod I think. If you are going to use it in salt water you'll need to give it a good rinse off afterwards.

Personally, I don't want to take the chance of accidentally injuring or worse, killing a Platypus. Often closed rivers and many part of rivers that are closed. are closed to protect wildife.

Illegal fishing with opera house traps and set lines and lazy fishermen failing to recover lures and lines is the biggest cause of platypus deaths ... from drowning.

Opera house nets being used illegally to capture Spiny Freshwater Crayfish in creeks and rivers take a heavy toll on the platypus. This type of net is a death trap for platypuses, water rats, turtles and some diving water birds. These nets are often left overnight when some of these animals are most active. In NSW it is illegal to use opera house nets east of the Newell Highway and in Victoria offenders found, detected, possessing or using an opera house net in or close to inland waters can be issued with a $597 penalty infringement notice or be charged under summons to appear in court and face a maximum fine of $11,300. Vessels and vehicles may also be seized in Victoria. Under the Wildlife Act 1975 the maximum penalty for killing a platypus is $5,500 and/or six months imprisonment. Opera house nets can be used on private property in both NSW and Victoria.

Fisherman killed two Platypus in the Murrumbidgee River here in the ACT, just last week. Fortunately both fishermen were caught by ACT Fishing Inspectors but unfortunately only given on the spot fines of $1100 each. Prosecution, the maximum fine and 6 month gaol would have been a more fitting penalty.

Warren.

Last edited by WarrenH on Thu Mar 01, 2012 8:06 pm, edited 3 times in total.

"But on steep descending...Larson TT have bad effect on the mind of a rider" - MadRider from Suji, Korea 2001.

RonK wrote:Jeez Wazza - keep posting those photos and one day I'm going to turn up on your doorstep and camp there until you take me on a trip.

Ron, Thank you for your kind comments but anyone would go mad touring with me. If they were thinking that what should be happening, should be a bike ride. I'm too slow and I stop too often to look at stuff and I fully subscribe to the use of a bike being a push-bike.

I started reading a report from two tourists from Old Blighty cycling around Oz, and I found it too frustrating. Especially when they rode through my neck-of-the-bush and saw nothing that this region offers. Nothing at all. I kept saying to myself, if they had only slowed down they wouldn't have missed many magnificent areas, features and views ... one k up this track they would have seen something extraordinary and one of the greatest views in Oz and another k up that track there is this and they got so close to here and there. They saw nothing but did it with mind numbing photography.

Like Detail aka GJ Coop wrote about his travelling, like a wandering ant, I haven't found a way off the ant hill called the Great Dividing Range yet, it is slow push-biking ... hike-a-bike some call it and not many riders like playing that game.

Above the valley of the Tumut River, in the Jagungal Wilderness. A great place to ride and to fish in the more isolated streams.

Above Lady Northcote Canyon the headwaters of the Geehi ... still gone fishing, but I like to do a bit of push-biking. Just don't ride here up on top ... push-bike or carry the bike until you can coast down hill to the Geehi.

On the Ram's Heads. There is no fishing up top in the headwaters of the Snowy but it is a good ride into Ethridge Ridge along the Summit Road. It wasn't so long ago that we could ride to the summit of Kosci'. With the newly proposed Kosciuszko Heritage Trail who knows where we will be able to ride to, again.

Warren.

"But on steep descending...Larson TT have bad effect on the mind of a rider" - MadRider from Suji, Korea 2001.

Also, if you spot any fishing stores in the regions that you're visiting, in the store they might have a cards or different cards of 6 flies that are seasonal flies for the particular region, usually about $6-10. Fish can be most particular with what they like to strike at.

Warren.

"But on steep descending...Larson TT have bad effect on the mind of a rider" - MadRider from Suji, Korea 2001.

WarrenH wrote:Mepps Men understand everything about their Mepps lures. What have you heard from Mepps lately?

Hi Wazza - it's an interesting story isn't it. Probably a grain of truth in there amongst the "spin". Hope you are keeping your wheels dry - looks like we may have a cyclone forming just north of here.

My brother lives in Balfour (a great place to be if you're into trout fishing) which isn't that far from the Mavora Lakes. I've never had much luck at the Mavora Lakes myself - the fish are cunning & very wary of fishers (fly, spinning or trolling from a kayak). I have caught quite a few rainbow trout out of the Mararoa River though but beware - they do tend to lurk in fast water (look for a "seam" in the water) & fight like crazy for the first few minutes. I'd recommend a Rapala lure (imitation brown or rainbow trout) for the lakes & a black & gold or silver toby for the river. I haven't been fishing in NZ since didymo (aka rock snot) arrived (probably on the felt boots of a fly fisherman) but I've been told it has not been kind to the Mararoa. Just remember you have to clean & dry all your fishing gear (especially footwear) before you move to a different waterway. All the best with it - nothing better than standing by the river eating a fresh trout cooked in wet newspaper on a bed of embers.

RonK wrote: Hope you are keeping your wheels dry - looks like we may have a cyclone forming just north of here.

Ron, the weather is here, I wish you were beautiful.

That creek with the flooded Platypus sculpture above, is Ginninderra Creek. There are spots where I can normally step over it where I live in West Belconnen. It has been hard to keep the wheels dry this week because at the end of our the street the creek has been 100m wide for several days.

This should be a good year for the Silver Perch. They require clean sandbanks to breed. The sticky muddy silt is being flushed from the creeks and rivers exposing the river gravels again, this is good ... except that the mud is being washed into peoples homes down stream.

Now there are cyclones forming in your neighbourhood? Good luck.

Warren.

"But on steep descending...Larson TT have bad effect on the mind of a rider" - MadRider from Suji, Korea 2001.

BandedRail wrote:My brother lives in Balfour (a great place to be if you're into trout fishing) which isn't that far from the Mavora Lakes. I've never had much luck at the Mavora Lakes myself - the fish are cunning & very wary of fishers (fly, spinning or trolling from a kayak). I have caught quite a few rainbow trout out of the Mararoa River though but beware - they do tend to lurk in fast water (look for a "seam" in the water) & fight like crazy for the first few minutes. I'd recommend a Rapala lure (imitation brown or rainbow trout) for the lakes & a black & gold or silver toby for the river. I haven't been fishing in NZ since didymo (aka rock snot) arrived (probably on the felt boots of a fly fisherman) but I've been told it has not been kind to the Mararoa. Just remember you have to clean & dry all your fishing gear (especially footwear) before you move to a different waterway. All the best with it - nothing better than standing by the river eating a fresh trout cooked in wet newspaper on a bed of embers.

Yes, I can see that Balfour would be a great location for a trout fisherman. Thanks for the tips on the lures too, I'll see if I can get them in a small size for this little rod. I must say I had my doubts that NZ trout would be any easier to catch. I go with high hopes and low expectations.

Pulled this in last night from my bush camp in Yakima Canyon, Washington State, USA on my Pen Rod. Used a small weight, 1m leader and this playdough bait stuff called power bait. What a great way to spend the evening!

Fantastic Pete, great to see the pen rod is a real chance to catch a fish. I'll be putting mine into action in about 10 weeks time, when my Gone Fushing tour of NZ starts. Fresh trout for dinner anyone?

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